It all started with a grid...Then the furniture was arranged on the grid to keep perspective.The detail was added to turn the blocks to furniture.And then it was time to put rendering skills to the test, watercolor pencil, watercolor, prisma marker, and colored pencil.My favorite two would have to be the watercolor one and the marker one, my favorite design element is the lowered ceiling that I used as a dividing point between the kitchen/hall area and the living room itself without a wall that would block moments in the room.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

The alternatives chapter was all about the drastic transition of styles in architecture and art mostly dealing with the epicenter countries of France ad Italy. The Italian and French renaissance was a time of following the rules and applying them in every building as a standard for completion and the French and Italian Baroque followed in with completely conflicting views on following written rules and norms of architecture, most of the time bending or even breaking the rules to create something new and frivolous.

To begin the journey into the chapter of alternatives, we started in Venezia: City of floating stone in Venice, Italy with mostly the villa forms and the example of prime renaissance present in the geometric elements of the buildings and sacred places. Prime example of the rules would be the St. Maria Novella, also known as the building of lace and glass because of its appearance, built from 1456-1470 in the renaissance style, which is known to be an skewed version of the classical style itself and takes parts of ancient ideals like the column orders. Another important piece of architecture during this time was the Ospedale Innocenti, or the Foundling Hospital, designed by Filippo Brunelleschi. The building ideas and elements were what made this building a classic renaissance style in Florence, Italy: its rhythm, symmetry, balance, and arches in the repeating geometric patterns and column forms made it pleasing to the eye and exactly according to the written rules as to how Architecture should be designed. To give a better picture on the style and air that Venice presented, it is easier to think of it as something like New Orleans here in the United States.

The next important part of this chapter was the transition or junction between following the rules of the Renaissance and breaking the rules completely in the Baroque. Within this transition, designers of the time were testing boundaries and pushing the limits of the previous written rules of architecture during the Renaissance. Structures like the Pazzi Chapel that contained roman influence and classic Renaissance elements of reviving the ancient world and formal décor were being contrasted with the new forming style in the Laurentian Library Vestibule designed by Michelangelo with a more flowing, frivolous style. This was no surprise in itself because Michelangelo was one of the most famous designers to test boundaries until they were bent or broke. Another example of his was that of the fresco ceiling of the Sistine Chapel where its hard to tell were the wall ends and the ceiling begins because of his attempt to fool the eye, a direct violation of the clear-cut and definite boundaries of the Renaissance.

Baroque in full swing was quite the sight to behold for its curly and vague style as we transitioned from the Renaissance. The biggest building of note being St. Peter’s Piazza, also know as the Vatican in today’s world. This building contained the holistic view that spurred the out of the box thinking that made this period so successful and interesting. The piazza was redesigned by a couple of different designers to get where it currently is today; one of the ones of most note is that of the artist Bernini. The church form sits at the top of the form, frontal façade looking over the city realm and then goes into a curving and almost enclosed colonnade structure that contains the piazza itself with the obelisk in the center of the “square” and the fountains on its sides. The biggest theme was that of having a sort of civic space available to the people of the city, which is what the piazza itself was along with a similar structured civic space like the Baldacchino that was also designed by Bernini. While themes of the Romans were still present they were not the main concept as they were in the Renaissance and only became more and more inconsequential as the Baroque period progressed.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

A revision is when you take a physical item or an idea and make adjustments to it to improve it or make it more stable rather then just starting from the beginning again. Revisions happen everywhere, especially in the workplace of studio. In studio multiple projects are given and over the course of time in those projects we as students make multiple models or iterations in order to revise our idea and make it into something more appealing or more successful. “Stylistic consequences yielded renditions that emphasized drama, contrast of light and dark, movement, and the use of vigorous diagonals and curves.” [Blakemore 152] This idea of revision to a previous style in architecture and its effects on design elements occurred mostly in the Italian baroque period of architecture where more stylistic architecture occurred as a result of bending the rules. This renovated old architectural techniques and brought in that of the flourished baroque. An example of revisions in history of theory and design in the Baroque/Rococo is the Piazza of St. Peter’s in Rome, Italy. The currently named Vatican was built first redesigned by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, and then the piazza walls were added on by Carlo Maderno later to give the piazza its form. There was no tearing down of previous building as the design of it progressed, just the add on to make the design all the more successful.

A group of spectators or people observing is also known as an audience, this term is used a lot when talking about people who are watching a movie or play. The audience is a tool for performers or artists that can be used to gage the success or failure of a work or performance. The ultimate goal is to be successful and pleasing and therefore the challenge is to make something appeal to many different people in many ways. Architects are like performers in a way that they create wonderful pieces of architecture based on their period of design that is appealing to an audience of peers and spectators who interact with the space. "This kind of mystical presence [Glory of St. Ignatius] appealed greatly to the southern Germans, who remained loyal to the Church of Rome and rejected Luther's reforms. In the richly embellished pilgrimage and mosaic churches built in Bavaria in southern Germany in the early eighteenth century, such rhapsodic illusionism was pushed even farther." [Roth 405] The illusions produced by Padre Andrea Pozzo on the Cathedral ceiling was a huge hit with said audience of southern Germany, its wonderful fresco paintings were something new and interesting to the people and therefore made it quite a successful addition to the overall architecture.

A character is an element in a story or situation that can affect an outcome or situation in said story. Character can also be used as an adjective when describing something or someone, when a person says something is unique or interesting they said it ‘has character’. In a way our new nature/celebration project in studio can be described as having character because each and every one in unique because everyone chose different pieces of nature as inspiration, like my stick-cell phones formatted drawings on my natural objects. Also I found character this week in the images we had to look up when examining furniture from various blogs in Suzanne's class, each piece different from the next as we picked out the ones we wanted to draw. "... Nicholas Fouquet, had assembled to build and landscape his own private country house outside Paris at Vaux-le-Victomte in 1657-1661. Fouquet had made the fatal strategic error of building a chateau much finer than anything owned by the king..." [Roth 417] A real character in the story of the French Baroque period is that of King Louis XIV, he was very prideful and because someone had a much finer home/palace then he had he devised a way to confiscate the home for himself so no one could live better then the king himself. This character effect made way for the construction of the Palace of Versailles and the gardens that expanded across France's town of Versailles. "[Cappella della Santissima Sindone] On this ring rests a hexagonal arcade that forms the base of a dome. This done, however, was unlike anything ever built before, for it consists of six segmental arches resting on an arcade, and six smaller segmental arches resting on the crowns of the first six..." [Roth 413] The entire period of the Baroque/Rococo was a time of character, everything was built in order to break the rules and become unique to the people and in accomplishments, the architect of the Cappella della Santissima Sindone and its dome, Guarini, created a dome unlike any other that had character in it based on its complex structure.

A transfer or bridge between an event or happening is called a transition, this method of change happens especially when talking about the history and stylistic changes for architecture’s history though is not always very drastic. A big example of this is the drastic transition between the tightly wound rulebook of the Renaissance to the frivolous Baroque in Italy and France. “Following a period when the emphasis was on strict instructional approaches, a new religious mood evolved characterized by its emotional, ebullient impact.” [Blakemore 152] Blakemore talks about the differences between the two periods of architecture and art, suggesting that maybe religion had a play in this emotional transition that lead to pieces like the Palace of Versailles in France and San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane.

According to Dictionary dot net, a datum is, “Something given or admitted; a fact or principle granted; that upon which an inference or an argument is based; -- used chiefly in the plural.” Or also, “The quantities or relations which are assumed to be given in any problem.” Frankly I had a hard time understanding these definitions until I put in design terms of how something called a datum line is a horizontal measured line sued for reference in a space. This concept of datum is used a lot in surveying land and as a design element to connect a space together like when I used in the wall project a while back.

In conclusion all these words are great synonyms for describing the period of the Baroque and Rococo in Italy and France and its transition from the set rules if the Renaissance period of architecture. [Re]visions were made to these set rules so the transition in styles could happen, the changes were created by important motivation characters in politics of the countries and the architects with their views. Along with these characters that created and commissioned these structures came the audience that experienced the datum spaces back in time and even know as people tour to learn of architecture and its history as styles changed.

::Sources::History of Interior Design and Furniture By BlakemoreDictionary Definition By www.dictonary.netUnderstanding Architecture By RothDrawings and Photographs By myself

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Periphery would define a boundary or border on an area, space, or structure for some sort of reason or meaning. A good example of this would be the instilled border between states or countries, its not physically a perimeter or margin but it is an idea that is known to all the countries or states so that they can distinguish where one area ends and another begins, making this a practical periphery. “This desire to stretch human limits and to match building achievements of the ancients was boldly exemplified in the dome Filippo Brunelleschi completed over the crossing of the cathedral in Florence, Santa Maria della Fiore.” [Roth 356] in history the example that most exemplifies periphery is the need for architects and designers of the Renaissance to surpass or press the limitations (Peripheries) to achieve something great and worthy of a notable human accomplishment. In Roth, Brunelleschi had done just that by creating a dome form as a commission for the first time since the ancient architects of the past.

In relating to the work in the major of interior architecture, a portfolio is a physical and/or digital collection of the body of works done in a semester. A portfolio can be rather useful when it comes to showing a designer’s process in something like drafting from one date to another, it also is something that can be presented to other to receive feedback on work or praise even. The use of blogger in studio, drawing, and drafting is a great way for work to be displayed as a digital portfolio for our professors and for others to view our designs to give feedback.

The journey or process of a designer is the stepping-stones to being able to create a successful design, for one does not just come up with a brilliant idea and make it perfect the first time. The continuous quest of creating something truly extraordinary is the main, if not the most important, part of a designer’s product. Even the final can be rivaled in importance to the process made to get there, for process shows how you came to the idea of making something like a place for a leaf. With the translation series of projects this current semester in studio process is very apparent as the class went from creating a wearable artifact out of a fairytale to a full blown outside portal based on the processes of all the projects in between. When all this work is out together, process in successful design should be easy and awe to follow. This method of process is not only important to designers, but that of writers and artists as well. "Italy was the springboard for the Renaissance in architecture and the visual arts, beginning in 15th-century Florence. In other western countries stylistic progression was from Roman to Early Christian . . . However, Italy (except for Venice) had not adopted the Gothic style." [Blakemore 91] Process not only can be made with in the design process now, but it was also a key idea in the past histories when dealing with the progression from one style to another. Ideas and designs from past styles helped to influence newer styles to continue the process of change throughout countries, though the most drastic of the changes would have to be the ones occurring in the Renaissance and beyond. "Since the Gothic style was so thoroughly entrenched in France, the full influence of this new classical vocabulary was slow to emerge. At first, in a transitional period, the new decorative motifs were applied to medieval forms." [Blakemore 113] Process from one style to another in history is not an instant happening, sometimes it takes longer for some styles to be replaced if they have been instilled as the main method of design as seen in France with the Gothic style as the country turns to its own Renaissance.

Perspective is a point of view that can differentiate depending upon who is viewing an idea or design. With the concept of art, perspective can be broken up into three types: one-point, two-point, and three-point perspective. In the picture above I have illustrated the main points in creating one-point perspective with the use of the horizon line and focus point to create perspective to the eye with the boxes. This point of perspective and different views can also be referenced in drafting to give the viewer more information of what is being viewed. “The Italians, especially the Florentines, began to view history in a new way. They perceived human history not as a divinely ordained continuum but as a series of successive periods, some characterized by great human accomplishment.” [Roth 353] In reading the book Understanding Architecture by Roth, the Florentines of Italy had a different perception of history then that of people in France or other’s countries at the time, they believed in the idea of broadened horizons and human success in time rather then something previously ordained to occur.

The highest level of achievement and ambition for anyone in any major or job would have to be the level of professional. Professionals are highly revered and listened to when it comes to the task or trade in which they prove their professionalism. But to archive this practiced standard, it takes more then mere skill the way I see it. Professionalism is also in the way a person presents himself or herself, like for example: critiques in our very own studio hour. Dressing appropriately and cleanly makes gives an air of professionalism to a presentation and makes the audience for which you are talking to feel like they should or could listen to you. If someone came to a critique in something so causal as sweat pants or pajamas even they would less likely have the undivided attention of their audience. In work of Suzanne’s class, our groups for buildings on campus were assigned to create a professional and clean display board for our drawings and diagrams using what she had taught us about griding work and not going over extravagant. Above is an image of our group’s display and the diagram I helped to create. I think our display is very professional because it’s clean and neat when it comes to layout, not too cluttered on the board so the viewer is not distracted and clean cut to make it look sharp. "Francesco di Giorgio (1439-1501 or 1502) was influenced by the works of Vitruvius and the treatise by Alberti. He was, however, more practical in his method. . . Di Giorgio was committed to classism and on his visits to Naples he drew antique artifacts." [Blakemore 92] professionals often influence others as well, from history as the Renaissance took full force in architecture and art we see great designers and artists influencing other, this chain reaction helping to make the Renaissance in Italy to be the greatest movement progression between styles in history.

The words used in bold in this week's Opus shared many similarities other than the fact they all started with the letter "P" as the title states. These words mostly have to do with people and how things are viewed and interpreted. Periphery speaks of limitations, I interpreted this as limitations based on perspective of the people as to weather they would obey these rules or break them for the sake of design and process of change in history starting with the Renaissance. Portfolio and professional go together because they define designers with their work and their own personalities. Once more perspective of others is present and process is shown in the form of the portfolio work. People are the main theme in all these words and these words are still an important part of today as they were in history of changing architecture.

::Sources::History of Interior Design and Furniture By BlakemoreUnderstanding Architecture By RothDrawings and Photographs By myself

Monday, March 16, 2009

The final stage drawing for the Gateway island in the parking lot, we don't need to do anymore casting of stepping stones because we as a group decided to space them out rather then push them all together. There are 42 stepping stones, the variety sizes of semi-spheres will vary depending on the final instillation of the concrete objects.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Composition is a specific arrangement of elements or items in an overall perspective with a goal to be cohesive and successful. This idea of composition can be found as an element in architecture when talking about decorative elements, exterior elements, and anything else that makes sense in the structure and makes it pleasing.

In the beginning, this terminology came from the Greeks and how they built their temple-like structures for their gods and for their own domestic homes. Every home had a porch area that was usually in the front of the home or structure, a court in the central part of the home, especially when talking about villas in Pompeii, and the all-important hearth are that was the central importance of the entire structure. With this method of categorizing spaces in structures being so used and successful, is found in nearly every structure now in existence. In a modern home for example, the porch is in the front of the house before you enter the structure, the court is your central part of the house perhaps being the hallway were everyone walks to get to places in the home, and the hearth is the most important place in the house being either your kitchen or your living room depending upon what is important to you family. “ The secular basilicas for hearing litigation had been entered from the middle of the long sides, In the new church basilicas, entry was from one end, where a vestibule, or narthex, was created, with an alter placed at the far end in the semi-circular apse. Outside, preceding the narthex, a large atrium forecourt ringed with colonnades…” [Roth 282] Taking reading from the Early Christian/Byzantium chapter, just reading the very description tells the placement and ideal of porch, court, and hearth. The porch being the large atrium outside the narthex ringed with colonnades, the court being the narthex, and the hearth being the alter where the priest leads worship and all-important services are held by. In the middle ages reading another example is exposed, though not in a building you would expect like a apartment of the middle ages. “On entering a palazzo a gate or front door at which a guard was stationed was followed by a standard progression of spaces. The main entrance opened onto the vestibule, from which one entered the cortile, surrounded by an arcaded colonnade; behind this were summer apartments, shops, kitchens, bathrooms, storage areas and so on." [Blakemore 94] Once more, the idea passed from the Italians in the 15 century has a porch (the main front gate from which you enter), a court (being the main entrance to a vestibule and cortile courtyard that leads to everything else), and the hearth (where one can enter into the important areas such as the kitchen and bedrooms).

A diagram is a pictorial presentation of an area or building that helps the viewer to gain a better understanding of the building’s context and circulation patterns. It is hard for the common person like me to understand the full extent of what a building looks like when I can’t visit it myself. Also diagrams are great especially when getting a better picture of buildings of old that may not be standing anymore. “Merchant bankers became new patrons of architecture, and the late buildings of the Middle Ages were buildings they commissioned- their residences, guild halls, and town halls. The large house of Jacques Coeur in Bourges illustrates this new urban type well [14.50,14.51].” [Roth 346] This building from the middle ages is rather complex in its design, because of the visual representation given of the floor plan/section of a merchant’s home a person can perfectly visualize the rooms and towers the adorn the building as major characteristics. Along with reading on the Middle Ages we learned how to construct proper diagrams of our own assigned buildings. For my building, the MHRA building, we had to consider things like diagrams of context that describe the exterior around the building like topography and current standing elements to get a better sense of what is around the building.

The affect a certain item or idea has on one person to another is typically what is described as impression. Though in the case of history and theory of design a better way to say this would be from one culture to another rather just one individual person. In the time of the middle ages, not only was there creation of new ideas and ways to build and decorate spaces, but there was also excavation on the past sites of ancient Rome. “Excavations of Roman sites yielded marble for reuse, stone calcined for lime, and artifacts for collectors. From these, designers either copied or were inspired to adapt Roman decorative detail such as the candelabrum, grotesque images, the compartmentalization based on Pompeian organization for such areas as the ceiling, and the decorative use of classical orders.” [Blakemore 93] The excavations made a vast impression on some of the middle age design society, according to Roth enough so that it made an impression on the culture enough to influence their architecture and decorative elements. Column orders, ornate Roman designs like that of Pompeii and other elements were used as decorative pieces once more in the time of the middle ages even after the fall of the Roman empire.

When talking in the context of details upon a building, details are often extra things added to a particular structure in architecture that add often to its delight, though in some cases like that of columns can also add firmness. Details when describing Gothic architecture are often thought of to be ostentatious and ornate. “In France, this attention to ornament appeared in decorative forms, particularly in the stone tracery of stain-glass windows. The tracery had the wavy fluidity of flames; such curvilinear forms were said by the French to be flambant, “flaming,” or “flamboyant,” a word still used to convey a sense of extravagant excess.” [Roth 342] Front facades of Gothic cathedrals were notorious for being highly detailed in what the building stands for: god, the apostles, and the most common last judgment. The flamboyant cathedral talked about above is Saint-Maclou in Rouen, France; a country in which the Gothic style thrived. Details like that of the MHRA building can be defining details that can only be found in that one building. The circular lowered ceiling is a zoomed in detail that categorizes the unique detail in the Moore Humanities Building.

These words together: composition, porch:court:hearth, diagram, impression, and details, are all words that basically compliment or describe a piece of architecture or artwork. Details in the composition of a building facade or layout help to add visual interest for the viewer and fulfill the ever difficult attempt at delight. Details can create definition to structural placement like the porch:court:heart ideal via different ornate details or colonnades as defining features. Because of these appealing details, impressions on other cultures and other designers are made and it is either recreated or used as inspiration for something new. Finally, diagrams can help document these elements to give the view a better or new perspective on something created in or on top of the structure.

::Sources::Plan/Section Cathedral Picture and QuotationsHistory of Interior Design and Furniture By RothUnderstanding Architecture By BlakemoreDrawings and Photographs By myself